Lewes man given Court Injunction to curb anti-social behaviour

Clinton Snelling

Published:15:29Friday 17 February 2017

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A Lewes man is the first in the Lewes District to be served with a Civil Injunction over his persistent anti-social behaviour.

Clinton Snelling, 39, of Blois Road, Lewes, was the subject of a long-running investigation by the local Neighbourhood Policing Team, following many complaints about his criminal and anti-social behaviour from local people.

Incidents took place both near Snelling’s address and elsewhere in the town.

During 12 months up to the end of March 2016, police recorded no fewer than 17 reports and complaints about Snelling’s behaviour, which were used in the application for the Injunction.

These included assaults on a woman Police Constable and a woman Police Community Support Officer, theft, threatening staff at several Lewes businesses, harassing young people in the street, pestering members of the public for money, begging, spitting, littering and defecating in public, police said.

Many of these incidents occurred when Snelling was under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

On January 9 this year, having heard representation from the police, District Judge Richard Robinson, sitting at Brighton County Court, was satisfied that Snelling’s behaviour included the use or threatened use of violence, and granted an Injunction against him under Section 4 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014, to last for two years, with a power or arrest for any alleged breach.

Snelling is now prohibited from: being intoxicated through drink, drugs or any other substance within a public place; shouting any profanity at a member of the public in a public place causing them fear, alarm or distress; begging for money; being in possession of any open container that contains alcohol in a public place; spitting in any public place; leaving his home address between the hours of 10pm and 6am; and entering any residential property (to include, but not limited to, pathways, yards, drives and front or back gardens) without permission from the occupier.

PC Daran Goudie said, “Clinton Snelling has caused frequent distress to many local residents and businesses. We have taken regular action against him, including arrest and prosecution, as a result of which he has already served several short prison sentences, including a sentence for assault on police.

“But this relatively new law gives us an opportunity to further rein in his anti-social activity, and bring extra relief to the long-suffering community.”